Collectors & Explorers

Charles van Raalte

Colascione

Period:

17th Century

Description:

This instruments body is of ivory with ebony strips. The finger board is faced with small engraved ivory squares. The peg box is surmounted by a carved ivory head and it has a parchment rose in the soundboard and 3 strings.

This is a very early type of lute and is sometimes called an 'arab' lute as it is similar in design to the early instruments which made their way to Europe from the middle east.